The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1887-03-19
THE FIRE KINGS TRICKS.
A REPORTERS EXPLANATION or
HOW THEY ARE PERFORMED.
A Marvellous Medley Of Magic-Wonder-
full Performance OF a Man In League
Brimston World.

q full Performance OF q Man In Leagu
@ with the Powers of the Fro an
{ Brimston World.
c The professor was a little mr., generou
| and expansive in the matter OF shirt front
red as to hair and blessed with surprising
amplitude of coat sleeve and tail
Ladies and gentlemen he began, coming
to the front OF tho stage and turning bacl
his cuffs with al innocent air and that gen
orally clean fingered dexterity which char
acterzes the manual motions Of sleight OF
hand men-"ladies and gentlemen, begging
your pardon in advance for tho liberty am
taking, / wish TO state that In the hall of
this opera house, just outside the door, there
sa faucet connected with the pipes which
supply the city with water II some young
gentleman in the audience will be so kind as
to fill this tin utensil in my hand''-he lifted
tin quart bucket from the table and tapped
it with his forefinger-"with water from
that faucet, shall proceed to burn it--not
boilit, understand me, but burn the water
with a flame which you may all see.r
After little natural persistence and some
urging from the professor couple of young
gentlemen, aged about Is summers, conveyed
the tin bucket out into the hall, whence they
presently returned with a quart of water,
which the professor demonstrated to be pure
water by drinking few swallows of it, A
suggestion from the rear Of the hall that the
GROWER might contain beer was properly ig-
nored, and the remainder Of the clear fluid
was poured from the bucket into a glass fruit
dish
"Salamandissimus, salamandos!r remarked
the professor, solemnly, while he waved his
hands over the surface OF the water. II com.
mand thee, once; l command thee, twice;
command thee, three times, in the name Of
birthstone, fire."
rose colored fame appeared on the water,
and gradually spread until it embraced the |
whole area Of the surface and rose pyramid
wise to height Of about twelve inches. Dur
ing the subsequent proceedings the water con-
.inued 10 burn
SEVERAL FAMILIAR CHESTyUTs
Then ensued the cracking of n number NJ
anuliar chestnutS, such as the cooking of an
'melet in borrowed silk hat. the mysterious
production from nowhere of an outfit of tin
ware and guinea pig, ct id orrne genus.
bar OF lead was melted in erucible over ,
small furnace, and according 50 the prom
% on the bills the professor proceeded to
rash his hands in the molten metal. He did
re work thoroughly, plunging his hands to
1e elbow into the crpcble now and then
looping up the liquid lead in his calm and
Topping 1t upon the board floor of the stage. =
here 1t instantly hardened in thin flakes.
he blade of all ordinary steel table knife
elted like wax in the flame of a tallow I
LndIe under the influence of his tou,h. and 81
en-, dipping pen into ths dish of burning
ater the professor went through tie mo-
)ns OF writing upon Solded newspaper
nded 10 him by one of the audience When
hall was darkened the words, "Pherrllson.
Phire King. right hand of his Majesty
ablos" stood out in green danes from the
rface of the paper
So far, so good. The tsicks were per y
-med; but the city editors instructions 10
d out how they we're performed and. to v
tie an expose OF the Fire Kings secrets IN Dl
ppily were not yet carried ont While the So
Hence was conveying itself through the ~
)rway into the street | ebowed nv way
lind the scenes and corralled. the professor.
o was engaged in packing his parapter-
ia When you want man to do yoa,a
or 1t is by no means best TO approach him
n an obsequious air; il You do, he will
badly tumble to your racket, so to speak.
give yon the cold shake. kept my hat
and paralyzed the professor with a steely
re and just n shade Of hauteur.
the press" | said brusdualy.
ducing a pasteboard "Are not the
nicals used In your-ah -ah-tricks, are
not dangerous-of an inflammable nat
apt to explode; and all thatr
A SCARED PROFESSOR
lille was talking, made some notes in
book, giving the professor the
that the lettings were TO the effect that ~
entertainments were of a character ~
lrdous TO the audience. ~ ~
food gracious, sir mol" ha gasped: eby zig,
means do not publish such an insinuation; ror
ould ruin me- All my agents are innocent -. :.
n rightly used" en-
smiled cynically-"Yes, Of course YOU saw
Tut | can prove it, Potassium, phos- r
us, birthstone, quicksilver Are they ex-
yef
le trail was getting warm. -
Veil, of course, that depends. The potas-
}, for instance, how do you use itl7 49,.
drop small quantity Of it upon the sur n
of the water in the glass dish Upon N
act with the water it Immediately flares
md burns with rose colored flame.
best thing in the world With the brim.
} | merely touch piece of steel made
lot in the flame of o candle and the steel
5 like tallow. No danger there. A stick
loSphorus is affixed to my pen when l
upon the newspaper, and of course in -
arkness the writing stands out. To wash ham
ands in molten lead it is only necessary
the them previously in AN ointment made
le ounce Of quicksilver, tao ounces of
ammoniaco, half an ounce Of camphor
wo ounces Of aqua VITAE. beaten together
a pestle in a brass mortar. / keep this I'M
lre by me constantly, and have never
al the slightest accident" q
, still, small voice Of the call BOYS clock -
al" just as the professor was finish
Is meaty sentence, ana / rushed around
} office with scant time to write up and W
in my copy by II o'clock. | had not guar
ed the professors whole business, but |